Legal Question in DUI Law in Missouri

Re: How much should you pay for a DWI attorney?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. As you mentioned, one of the most important factors is whether you have any prior convictions. Also important is where you received the DUI. I typically charge a first time offender $500 for DUI representation.

And, yes, you will definitely need to retain an attorney if you want to avoid losing your license.

Please feel free to email or call me if you would like to discuss further.

Re: How much should you pay for a DWI attorney?

The previous answer is O.K. as far as it goes. You definitely should hire an attorney for a variety of reasons. The consequences of mishandling this case can be very serious and last the rest of your life. Regarding attorney's fees, I would be very cautious about hiring the cheapest lawyer you can find. In our current society, with our current rules of ethics on advertising, there are many attorneys who will do just about anything to get new business. No doubt you have already received mailings from attorneys you have never heard of and who have never heard of you until they bought a list of recent arrestees from a company that collects such information and then sells it to these lawyers. Ask yourself, if this is the type of attorney that you want to handle the most important legal problem in your life? I've been practicing law for thirty years and I still consider it a profession not jut a business. All of my clients come to me through referrals from other clients or other lawyers. There are many lawyers out there practicing law like I do, and any of us can provide a client with competent personal service on a very individualized basis. A standard fee for a first time DWI case is usually in the neighborhood of $1500, and for good reason. The attorney should invest enough time and effort to do everything possible for the client and not just take the client's money and then run through an automatic plea bargain. The attorney should find out everything possible from the client and his or her witnesses. The attorney should conduct full discovery to find out everything that the other side intends to use against the client. Of course the attorney should obtain the client's record. The attorney should determine whether the client's rights have been violated so as to provide a defense. The attorney should determine whether the prosecutor will be able to prove each and every element of the charge against the client beyond a reasonable doubt. If the client is likely to be convicted, then the attorney should negotiate the best possible plea bargain for that individual client and be sure that the client is fully advised and understands everything that is going on. The attorney should also advise the client regarding the client's driving privilege and the client's options concerning the driving privilege. To do the job right will take more than a little time and effort and will cost more than $400 or $500. However, to do it the quick and easy way, which is not always what's best for the client, a fee of $400 or $500 would be, in my opinion, highway robbery. Do not make the mistake of hiring one of the cheapest lawyers you can find. You would not hire the cheapest doctor to treat an illness or an injury. Hire the very best attorney you can afford, and you will be glad that you did.